Channing (biodiversity and conservation biology, U. of the Western Cape, South Africa) and Howell (zoology and marine biology, U. of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) have written the first field guide and reference book on the amphibians of East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda), covering 194 frogs and toads and 9 caecilians. For each species, scientific names are explained and local names and other names in the literature are listed. Along with species descriptions, information is given on known habitat preferences and distribution, advertisement call, breeding biology, and known tadpoles, and key references. Prior to the species studies, there are chapters on the history of amphibian studies in East Africa, geography and environment, conservation, classification, and identification. Also included are 185 color photographs of various species. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)